Charlotte.com

Fans of the opposing team at Bank of America Stadium is (still) a non-issue

If you want a contrived beat-into-the ground issue, it's this -- Panther fans selling their tickets to fans of the opposing team.

Panther coach Ron Rivera,defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and tackle Jordan Gross talked Monday about all the Washington fans they saw at Bank of America Stadium Sunday and all the noise those fans made.

Callers talked about it Tuesday afternoon almost every time I turned on sports talk radio.

I'm in the minority here. I don't care what fans do with their tickets.

If they want to sell them, they get to. The tickets belong to them.

Secondly, many of the fans complaining about the Redskins' fans at BofA watched the game on TV.

Of course the Panthers aren't as entrenched as the Pittsburgh Steelers are in Pittsburgh, the New York Giants are in New York or the Green Bay Packers are in Green Bay.

The Northeast, Midwest and Pittsburgh embrace their teams with intensity the rest of the country struggles to match. Fans there love their teams and hate their teams, but they don't abandon their teams.

The Panthers came together in 1995. They're a teenager. Passion for them has yet to be passed from one generation to another like an heirloom.

If you are a Panther fan, and you sell your ticket Sunday to a Minnesota fan this week, are you disloyal? Should you be run out of town? Shipped to the Minnesota tundra?

If seeing purple jerseys at Bank of America Stadium is going to bother you, outbid the Northern invaders for tickets.

You can't shame people into showing up for a game. You have to give them a product that will compel them to show up. The Panthers are starting to.

Lastly, thousands of fans walking down the steps and out of the stadium after the Washington game were cheering "Let's go Panthers!" It felt like a movement. I didn't hear anybody chant, "Let's go Redskins!"

Comments

Of course i watched the game on TV, i live 8 hours away, and have to work 7 days a week to pay my bills you self-righteous clown! Sorry clown was the only word i could use at this moment without profanity. Some of us are not so blessed that we get to go to the games! The last game i went to was several years ago, the last time we had a an out-of-town vacation, so i guess in your book poor people can't be fans! This is part of what angers many of us. We would love to be at every game, even last year. For people like us to get to a game, we have to save every penny we can for a really long time! If i had tickets, and lived close by, i would never miss a game, much less sell tickets to the enemy that week!

I am a die hard Panther fan and female. I would love nothing more than to go to one game but can't afford the ticket. If I have to sit in the stadium and watch there game on a big screen, I can do that attack home. Just because you can't be at the game doesn't mean you're not a loyal fan. I never miss a game no matter what their record is.

so proud of my senior phteanrs! Especially proud of Regan's group for getting through that stunt! Morgan had to fill in and be a secondary and i and to learn to back-spot that stunt! talk about tough work!!!! great job to all of the panther teams! way to rock it in Columbia!!!!!:)

i definitely agree with lj. the pbeolrm with charlotte is the urban sprawl and the fact that there are things going on, but you have to know (or figure out) how to get there. many people in town for business that are staying in downtown aren't going to drive 45 minutes to ballantyne or elsewhere. it is confusing to get around if you aren't familiar with the area especially considering that street names change so many times. charlotte can be 'boring' to some/many visitors but it's a great place to live.

Shaun I work for the Council and I know the person rnpsoesible for the letting of the Council football pitches really well. She is away on holiday at the moment, which might be why you haven't had a response to your e-mails. She's back in to work next Monday 18th April 2011. I did speak to the person who oversees all of Parks and Open Spaces' (her boss) about the lack of available football pitches in the area and inparticular Panthers plight I gave him a copy of your note from the web page! If you want me to get involved in pursuing this, just let me know?On another note, I'm aware from speaking to a neighbour of mine who is very heavily involved with Hoylake Rugby Club, that they are trying to promote greater community links and widen the use of their facilities to other sports. They are in negotiations with the Council on the lease of the old enclosed football pitch adjacent to their land at Hoylake. If this comes off they will be looking for partners, although I am aware one or two of our competitors are also on the look out! Once again, if you think there is any value in this, then just let me know and I can get you the contact details of the appropriate people.Cheers Damian